Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts indicated he is unlikely to attend the team's upcoming trip to the White House, emphasizing that his decision is not driven by politics. Betts told The California Post on Saturday that the date of the visit, July 23, falls on an off-day during the Dodgers’ road trip to New York and Philadelphia.
Betts stated his intention is to spend time with his family, particularly after the birth of his third child earlier this year. "We just had a baby. You don’t get many days off. They’re coming [on the road trip]. And just want to hang out with the fam. That’s really kind of it. But people are gonna make it a whole bunch of other stuff," Betts said.
This is not the first time Betts' participation in a White House visit has drawn attention. In 2019, while with the Boston Red Sox, he was among several players who declined to attend a celebration during President Trump’s first term, a choice he later expressed regret over, feeling it distracted from the team. With the Dodgers, Betts has attended both the team's visit with President Biden in 2021 and their trip with President Trump in April.
He recalled that last year, he was initially non-committal about attending but ultimately chose to go with his teammates. At that time, Betts stated, "This is not about me. This is not about politics. This is about the Dodgers. It’s about my loyalty to these boys, this clubhouse. And that’s all it is for me."
Betts reiterated that his current decision is centered on family. He and his wife, Brianna, welcomed their second daughter, Khari, in April, expanding their family to five. "If I do [go], people are gonna hate me. If I don’t, people are gonna hate me," he said. "So instead of trying to make everyone else happy, I’m gonna think about myself and my family."
Betts acknowledged that while his decision is personal and not politically motivated, he anticipates that his stature may lead some to interpret it through a political lens. "That’s just the cards I’m dealt," he said. "So it is what it is."